What Do the UCs Look For?

The UCs are rather transparent about the type of students they look for, laid out in the system website. However, some of these criteria are somewhat vague or seem subjective. Today, we'll find out what they criteria really mean and how you can meet them in your application.

Here's the full list of the criteria:

1. Academic grade point average in all completed A-G courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses.

2. Number of, content of and performance in all A-G subject areas beyond the minimum requirements.

3. Number of and performance in UC-approved honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level and transferable college courses.

4. Identification by UC as being ranked in the top 9 percent of your high school class at the end of your junior year (Eligible in the Local Context, or ELC).

5. Quality of your senior-year program as measured by the type and number of academic courses in any A-G subject area in progress or planned.

6. Quality of your academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available in your high school.

7. Outstanding performance in one or more specific subject areas.

8. Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study.

9. Recent, marked improvement in academic performance as demonstrated by academic GPA and the quality of coursework completed or in progress.

10. Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral proficiency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.

11. Completion of special projects undertaken in the context of your high school curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs.

12. Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special circumstances, including but not limited to: disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circumstances, refugee status or veteran status.

13. Location of your secondary school and residence.

As a quick reminder, the A-G requirements are the basic courses you should complete in high school for college admissions in California. You can read about them here, but the important thing to note is that the G requirement can be met with APs or other advanced college coursework. If at all possible, you should try to fill G classes with your specific skills you hope to develop further in college. This is the easiest way to include a resume boost in your transcript because it shows long term vision and dedication to a subject, and proves that you can handle college coursework well.

Some of the later requirements seem a little more subjective or difficult to understand, so read on to decode them.

Quality of your academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available in your high school.

This point goes beyond your grades, which have been considered earlier. The overarching question here is: Did you take advantage of the services, classes, and enrichment opportunities at your school? A student who takes 2 APs at a crumbling, underfunded school that only offers 2 APs is understandable. A student who takes 2 APs at a top-tier private LA high school is questionable. Additionally, some lower scores may be expected from a packed high school where teachers don't have extra time to help students, and the overall academic performance at the school is lower. However, if the average GPA at your high school is 3.6, a 3.4 GPA will raise eyebrows unless you have a specified learning disability.

Outstanding performance in one or more specific subject areas.

This criteria is an olive branch to students who struggle with certain topics (within reason- we're talking a B here and there, not failing). If you demonstrate a strong talent in one subject area with excellent grades and highly involved classes like an AP capstone or advanced college courses, this might make up for an area you struggle in. Say you're interested in psychology, and you took AP Psych and another college course in psychology at a local college. You've done well in your humanities courses, biology, and stats, but you totally hit a wall with physics and got an 86. The good news is that you will not be written off, thanks to this point of analysis.

Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study.

What counts as a special project is a bit more limited in this point than it may first appear. This does not necessarily include a business or non-profit, a club, or even volunteer work. This is a college preparatory question- can you handle the rigors of college research, which is often required for many majors? What you can do to prove this point is taking a form of AP Capstone, IB Research, a school capstone or thesis project, a research position over the summer, or otherwise working to contribute to the development of human knowledge. The point of higher education which many people have forgotten these days is not to get a diploma and a job, but to work with a university institution to expand what humans know and can do. This criteria asks if you are up to the task.

Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field

"such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral proficiency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus."

This point is where the business/non-profit, volunteering, and extracurricular experiences come in. If you demonstrate results, marked by awards, proficiency tests or certifications, or other measurable metrics like dedicated hours or money raised, then this can be seen as achievements in such a field. Important to note is that these skills must be documented in a quantifiable format for maximum impact, which may be more difficult for creative or other non-competitive interests. However, there are a few ways to show your skills in a measurable manner.

• How many photos, paintings, prints, etc. have you made total?

• How many exhibitions, events, or similar have hosted your art or performance?

• How many hours of footage have you worked with (oral history, videography, background research, etc.)?

• How many people have attended your hosted events?

• Have you been invited to a prestigious event or exhibition in your field?

If you are able to say that your achievement is special in scale and impact, then admissions officers can tick this box for you.

Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special circumstances

"including but not limited to: disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circumstances, refugee status or veteran status."

The UCs realize that they ask a lot of students. If everyone had access to good schools and enriching extracurriculars, they would want the people who did the best there. However, potential can be hidden or stuck under layers of oppression and struggle, and the UCs are generous enough to realize this. Maybe you didn't do so well in high school, but you received outstanding distinction in the Marines and want a second chance at education. May you've had to work to help your family pay bills, or have struggled with disability or chronic illness, or went to one of the worst schools in your state. This does not disqualify you from admission to the UC system. Using your PIQs to describe your situation and how you have worked to be successful (even in non traditional ways) and how you plan to use your education to improve your life, you can show the UCs that you are ready to start a new chapter with education.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the UC criteria are less about perfection and more about context, initiative, and direction. Every point on this list asks some version of the same question: what did you do with what you had? Strong applicants are the ones who made intentional choices, pushed themselves within their environment, and showed clear potential for growth. If you are ready to explore how your narrative fits these criteria and exceeds them for admission to the UCs, schedule a call with one of our counselors today!